GRAND RAPIDS – ArtPrize 2014 has 86 venues signed up to participate in Grand Rapids sixth annual exhibition, 11 more than last year's $560,000 competition on the same date.

At noon today, with 10 days to go before the close of venue signup, ArtPrize 2014 is ahead of last year's pace for stores, shops, banks, pubs and museums registering to be a part of the exhibition opening Sept. 24.

Venue registration, which opened March 11 and ends April 10, paves the way for the transformation of downtown Grand Rapids into an urban art gallery over 19 days.

ArtPrize 2014 has reorganized its prizes with $280,000 chosen by the people and another $280,000 determined by professionals. Both will determine the winner of identical $100,000 cash prizes.

ArtPrize 2010, the second event created by social media entrepreneur Rick DeVos, remains the biggest by far with 192 venues showing 1,713 art entries.

Typically, ArtPrize has a rush of signups in the final days of venue registration. Last year, ArtPrize logged its 100th venue only four days before the deadline.

What's more, each year some venues drop out. Last year, ArtPrize 2013 had 186 venues following the close of Venue Registration. Some 17 dropped out after they failed to secure a match with at least one artist before the close of ArtPrize's Connections Period.

The only ArtPrize Exhibition Center signed up so far is Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. ArtPrize Exhibition Centers were created to serve as hubs in each of ArtPrize’s downtown neighborhoods, each a non-profit with a curated exhibition of more than 25 pieces, and each providing additional services such as information and voter registration.

Venue registration continues through April 10. Venues can learn more or begin registering on ArtPrize's website.

ArtPrize 2014 artist registration opens on April 21 and lasts until June 5 for artists who hope to compete for $20,000 category prizes for Best Two-Dimensional Work, Best Three-Dimensional Work, Best Time-Based Work and Best Installation.

Four prizes will be determined by the people, voting through social media or online. Four more will be determined by a panel of jurors.

One week after the start of Artist Registration, the Connections period opens April 28 to match artists and venues.

Artist Registration continues through June 5. Connections ends two weeks later on June 19.